For humans, the quality of egg protein is excellent, second only to breast milk. It is an ideal food for infants, pregnant women, and new mothers. However, although eggs are common, there are always things you don't know about them.
How can babies eat eggs in the healthiest way?
Babies can start eating a small amount of egg yolk at four months old, gradually increasing to a whole yolk. Egg yolk is a food with extremely high nutritional value, but many families, when making egg yolk for their babies, just boil it, peel the yolk, and mash it into a paste. But no matter how fine the paste is, the baby's digestive system simply can't break it down, and there are clearly visible granules in the stool. So, how can you prepare it so that a baby's delicate digestive system can process the egg yolk?
Recommended Delicacy: "Egg Yolk Water"
1. Add a small amount of water to a small saucepan. Add the same amount of water in milliliters as the amount of milk your baby drinks in one feeding. Crack the egg into a bowl, then use a spoon to scoop out the yolk. Due to the viscosity of the egg white, you cannot completely remove the egg white clinging to the yolk at this point. Place the scooped yolk into the saucepan with water and break the membrane on the outside of the yolk. Don't underestimate this transparent membrane; it is precisely because of this membrane that the baby cannot digest the yolk.
2. After breaking the yolk, the yolk liquid flows out. Then, swish the yolk membrane in the water and scoop it out with a spoon. If there is any remaining egg white in the water, it will appear as clear, clumpy, or strip-like shapes and is very easy to scoop out. Then you can start cooking the yolk. Stir it as it cooks, and once the water comes to a boil, you will have a bright yellow yolk water in the saucepan.
3. Pour the cooked yolk water into a baby bottle, mix it with formula powder, and shake well to feed the baby. Of course, it can also be fed on its own. When the baby is seven or eight months old, you no longer need to use this method to remove the yolk membrane. By then, the baby's gastrointestinal tract and digestive function will have strengthened, and they will be able to digest eggs prepared in most ways.
Which foods should not be eaten with eggs?
Eggs are a common food for many people, and while many know of their high nutritional value, they often overlook the dietary taboos associated with eating eggs. In daily diets, eating eggs with sugar, soy milk, or rabbit meat are among the biggest misconceptions.
1. Eggs and Sugar
Many places have the custom of eating sugar water poached eggs. In fact, cooking eggs and sugar together causes the amino acids in the egg's protein to form a compound called fructose-lysine. This substance is not easily absorbed by the human body and can have adverse effects on health.
2. Eggs and Soy Milk
Having an egg with soy milk in the morning, or cooking an egg directly into soy milk, is also a common habit for many. Soy milk is mild in nature and contains many nutrients like plant protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. It has a strong nourishing effect when consumed alone. However, it contains a special substance called trypsin inhibitor, which combines with the ovomucin in the egg white, causing a loss of nutritional value and reducing the nutritional benefits of both.
3. Eggs and Rabbit Meat
Eggs also have a dietary taboo: they should not be eaten with rabbit meat. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" states: "Eating eggs with rabbit meat causes diarrhea." Rabbit meat is cool and cold in nature, while eggs are slightly cool. Both contain some bioactive substances, and consuming them together can cause a reaction that irritates the gastrointestinal tract, leading to diarrhea.
4. Eggs and Tea
Eggs should not be consumed with tea. You may have never noticed anything wrong with eating tea eggs all these years. However, research shows that high concentrations of tea produce more tannic acid, which, when combined with the protein in food, can form a precipitate that deposits in the body, severely hindering protein absorption and wasting the nutritional value of the egg. The theophylline in tea also combines with the yolk to form iron sulfide, affecting the body's absorption and use of iron, which can lead to anemia. In comparison, plain boiled eggs are simple, convenient, and have higher nutritional value, making them a better choice.
What is the most nutritious way to cook eggs?
Place eggs in cold water. Once the water comes to a boil, cook for 5 minutes. This method kills harmful bacteria while relatively preserving the nutrients in the egg.
If an egg is boiled in boiling water for more than 10 minutes, a series of chemical changes occur inside. The protein structure becomes tighter, making it less likely to come into contact with protein-digesting enzymes in the stomach, thus making it harder to digest. Furthermore, the methionine in the egg, after prolonged heating, breaks down into sulfides. These react with the iron in the yolk to form iron sulfide, which is not easily absorbed by the body, resulting in significant nutrient loss.
You can also master the following techniques when boiling eggs to prevent nutrient loss:
1. The water must completely cover the eggs; otherwise, the protein in the part not submerged will not coagulate properly, affecting digestion.
2. Before boiling, soak the eggs in cold water for a while to reduce the internal pressure of the egg. Then, use medium heat and bring the cold water to a boil. This can prevent the eggshell from cracking and avoid nutrient loss.